Waterproof floor covering and method of laying same



J. D. BAKER 1,80,661

WATERPROOF FLOOR COVERING AND METHOD 0F LAYING SAME Oct. 4, 1932.

Filed Dec. 27, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 [NVVTO A TTORNE y mp kw m EKN J. D. BAKER Oct; 4, 1932.

WATERPROOF FLOOR COVERING AND METHOD OF LAYING SAME Filed Dec. 27. 1928 a'sheets-sneet 2 BY V JATTORNEY J. D. BAKER 1,880,661

WATERPROOF FLOOR COVERING AND METHOD OF LAYI-NG SAME Filed Dec. 27; 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 4, 1932.

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INVENTOR A TTORNEY I l I a I I i I I i E l l l l l i I I I I l gym/44 Ex! mm ON u Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED vs'nvras PATENT OFFICE JAMES DALZIRLBAKER, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AS SIGNOR TO JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK WATERPROOF FLOOR COVERING AND vMETHOD OF LAYING SAME Application filed December 27, 1928. Serial No. 328,723.

.The invention relates to waterproof floor covering, and while it is particularly adaptable for railroad or refrigerator cars, it also readily lends itself for use in cold storage rooms, we houses, motor trucks or all places where there is a possibility of water accumulation on the floor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a floor covering which is absolutely waterproof, and one that has long wearing qualities and will not buckle due to changes in temperature or weaving. of the car.

* Another object of this invention is to provide a wear-resisting pliable floor covering comprising a plurality of sections having formations arranged in a ship-lap relation at their edges, adapting the sections to be fitted together to form a continuous interlocking floor covering having durable and waterproof expansion joints.

It has been customary heretofore in the construction of waterproof floors for cars to secure a waterproofing fabric to the sub-floor of the car and then apply a -wearing surface over said fabric, the wearing surface usually being wood. The nails necessary to hold the wood wearing surface in place pass through the layer of waterproofing fabric, and thereby greatly impair its efficiency. In accordance with the present invention, the

waterproof floor covering is constructed so as i to provide its own wearing surface, thus making for a substantial saving in weight, which is an important factor, and also providing a waterproof floor covering which results m'the preservation of the underfloor, underframe and trucks of the car which heretofore have been seriously damaged by water and brine dripping through the floor and rotting or corroding these parts.

Another important object, of the invention is to provide a waterproof floor covering which can be rapidly laid by unskilled labor,

thus making for greater economy of construc-- tion.

Numerous other advantages will become apparent as this specification proceeds. Referring to the drawingsformin a part hereof and in which referred em odiments of the invention are ustrated:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a car, the walls bemg in section, showing the waterproof cover in applied to the floor thereof;

1g. 2 is a plan view on a larger scale of one of the side sections. When installed in the car, one edge of this side section is bent up so as to lie adjacent the lower side wall. This figure is a plan view prior to being bent. 1 1g. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4.is a plan view of one of the center sections;

Fig. 5 is at ectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the center section used as the intermediate member; or the section applied first with regard to installing the center sections.

- Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. Sis a plan view, the intermediate part i method of laying the waterproof floor coverlog. 12 is a sectional perspective .view taken in the region of the bulkhead at either end of the car;

Fig. 13 is adetail perspective view showing an alternative method for securing the bulkhead post castings in place;

Fig. 14 is a sectional perspective view, the

intermediate portion being broken out for lack of space, showing another arrangement of laying the waterproof floor covering. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 disclose a modified form". withfregard to the shiplap relation of the sections.

Referring again to thedrawings, the reference numeral 15 designates the side walls of 'are made of heav a railroad car and 16 is the floor. As is particularly shown in Fig. 9, a special backing board 17 is laid along the lower side walls of the car. This backing board 17 extends from the side door openings 18 to approximately the ends ofthecar. While in the present disclosure the special backing boards 17 are laid only on the sides of the car, it is obvious they might be placed at the ends in other installations. The special backing boards 17 have an undercut part 19 and a concave curved portign 20 adjacent the floor of the car, see

Side sections 21 of the floor covering as shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3-are first set in place. These side sections are built up of several plys or layers of material. The lower layer 22 or the one next to the floor is preferably fabric saturated with a bituminous material, and the upper layers 23 and 24 waterproof felt likewise saturated with a ituminous material. The layers of felt and fabric are firmly cemented to each other, thus making a three-ply construction. If desired, additional layers of felt or fabric might be used.

The top layer of felt 24 in the side pieces is narrower than layer 23 beneath it, and this layer in turn is narrower than the bottom layer of fabric 22. The three layers are cemented together so that the edges on one side are all in line and their opposite edges that is the edges contiguous to an adjacent section are caused to lie in overlapping relation to each other, thus forming a ship-lap construction, as clearly shown in Fig. 11.

In the installation of the waterproof floor covering, the evened-up edges of the side sections are positioned against the undercut portions 19 of the backing boards, and the side sections conform with the rounded part of the backing board and that part of the floor adjacent thereto when they are secured in place with a cold asphalt solution. If desired, a 'hot asphalt cement could be used to secure the sections in'place, but the cold solution is preferred due to the fact that it is much easier to handle on the job. Having the layer of saturated fabric or burlap 22 next to the floor readily permits of a cold asphalt solution being used, as it would not be practical to apply the heavy felt direct to the fioor with a cold solution.

The side sections 21 might be molded at the factory to conform with the sides and bottom of the car, or they might be shipped flat and made to conform with the sides and bottom with suitable tools on the job. (If desired, a special piece of fabric flashing is laid under the side sections to further insure the corners being watertight). A strip of quarter round material 25 serves to additionally secure the side sections in place and prevent any possibility of water getting behind them.

Extensions 26 from the side sections lap over intermediate side members 27 at the threshold regions of the door openings 18. The members 27, particularly shown in Fig. 8, are constructed in the same manner as the side sections 21, and it is not thought necessary to describe .them in detail. In the installation, instead of being turned up against the backing boards 17, they are laid fiat and cemented or otherwise secured to the thresholds of the car.

After the side sections have been secured in place, the center sections are fixed in their respective positions. The center sections comprise a plurality of members 28, particularly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and one member 29, shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7.

The midway center section 29, which is preferably the first one to be laid, will first be described. As in the side sections, the section 29 is of three-ply formation, comprising a saturated fabric layer 30 and two saturated waterproof felt layers 31 and 32, all the layers being cemented together. The layers are of such shape that a ship-lap construction is formed on all four sides.

The member 29 is preferably located at or about the central portion of the car, longitudinally, although this is not essential. The edges of the extending ends of the top layer of felt 32 of the member 29 lie adjacent the edge of the top layer of felt -24 of the side sections, and the edges of the ends of the next layer of felt 31 ofthe center section 29 lie adjacent the edges of the layer 23 of the side sections; the edges of the fabric in each member likewise lie adjacent each other. The upper surfaces of thefelt 23 and fabric 22 are cemented by means of bitumen or asphalt to the lower faces of the felts 32 and 31.

It is important that a space be left at all overlapped joints, as clearly shown in Fig. 9. These spaces are later filled with a bitumi nous or asphalt putty 33 and act as expansion joints, permitting the floor covering to twistwith the weaving of the car when in motion and also allowing it to contract or expand slightly without cracking or buckling.

In the member 29 the top layer 32 of felt is narrower than the next layer 31, and the fabric 30 extends beyond eitherside of the felt layer 31 and a ship-lap construction which is the same on both sides is thus formed on the section 29. With regard to length, the top layer 32 is longer than the layer 31, which in turn is longer than the fabric sheet 30.

After the section 29 has been secured in position by cementing or other means, the adjoining sections 28 are applied to the floor; These sections are similar in construction to the center section 29 in that they have the saturated fabric layer 34 and superimposed saturated waterproof felt layers 35 and 36. However, each ply or layer of the members 28 is of the same width, and they are cemented together in ofi'set relation to'each other, thus giving a shiprlap construction on one side which is the reverse of that on the other side.

The-ship-lap construction of the ends of the members'28 is similar to that of the member.

29; that is, the length of layers decrease from .cemented thereto, allowing for the expansion joints 33 and the ship-lap construction of thesides of the members 28 to co-operate with each other for the length of the car. As previously mentioned, expansion joints are left at all placeswhere the edges of the felts of the difi'erent sections meet. The center sections are secured to the floor of the car pre- 'ferably by cold bitum inous or asphalt solutions, such as described in connection with the side sections, and which may be applied to the bottomsof the sections or thefloor of so on until the floor is covered.

the car. .However, hot or warm solutions may be used if desired. r

In another method of installation, the mid-. way center section 29 may be eliminated, and such being the case,-the center sections are laid by starting at one of the ends of the car,

after which an adjoining section is laid, and

From the foregoing it will readily be ob-.

served that awaterproof covering of great durability and cfiiciency is constructed. The rounded, upstanding edges along the sides of the car act as a pan and positively prevent any water or liquid seeping through. The

construction is such that the material may,

be furnished insections of the proper size so that it is only necessary to place-them in V the car and cement the joints together, thus doing away with previous constructions of cutting strips of material from standard rolls and building upthe covering 'inthe car. The

" saturated fabric, backing cemented to the lower felt, in addition to forming a means whereby the covering may .be securelycemented to the wood floor with a cold bituminous solution, acts as a strong reinforcement for the felt.

The above outlines and describes the preferred structure, particularly with regard to the ship-lap relation of the various pieces or sections and the method of installation;

that is,-wi th the ship-lap relation as-shown in F igs. 2 to 8 inclusive, the side sections are laid first, then the center sections. However, by changing the ship-lap relation of the layers of the sections, that is, by increasing the length of the layers of the intermediate and center sections from the top to the bottom, as disclosed in Figs. .15, 16 and 17, the intermediate and center sections are laid first, then the side sections" This structure and method'of laying are advanta eous for the reason that the ship-lap ends the side sections may be applied and brought into abut-' ting relation with the ship-lap ends of the center sections, and with the shlp-lap'ends of 75 aside section thus anchored, the body of the same may be readily brought or sha ed into conforming relation to the side acking board. of a car. In this modification, the expansion-joint arrangement and the cold or so A drip pan 42 may be located in either end of the car. Theturned-down part 43 of preferably lies over the last center section this drip pan, and an angularcap plate 44 1s positioned on top of the fabric over the bulkhead 40. Bolts 45 mounted in the bulkheads 40 and passing through apertures 46' in the covering and cap plate have the ens-- tomary bulkhead to. As these castings are well known in the art, they are not illustrated.- The foregoing construction provides a means whereby the floor covering will not be disturbed or torn by any slight movement ofthe bulkhead post castings.

Fig. 13 wherebly the bolts 45 may be eliminated and the 'bul head post castings maybe secured to a bracket or fixture 47 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the cap plate 44.

Flg. 14 illustrates another arrangement of the waterproof floor covering. In accord ance with this arrangement, the side sections 21 areomltted and the center sections 28a extend entirely acrossfthe car and are turned up on either side. The ship-lap construction of the adjoining edges wouldlikewise extend the full width as well as the expansion joints 33a. Numerous other arrangements will-sug-' gest themselves.

shows an alternative construction Thesections in each instance are pre formed, that is made. up at the factory and \are formed into a unitary structure prior tolaying.

The fabric or saturated fabric referred to in the specification and claims is prefer- .ably an'ordinary cotton duck of light weight and-coarse weave which has beenthoroughly saturated in an asphaltic material to retard rotting or disintegrating through age or exposure to water. I

The term felt or waterproofing felt refers to the product of a paper machine which has been saturated or saturated and coated with 'an ,asphaltic material, and the term is not restricted by the natureof the materials composing the felt. It may consist of either taining a certain percentage of bitumen; however, the term is intended to cover all materials of a like nature, such, for instance, as coal tar derivatives. The term is not to be restricted by virtue of the factthat in some cases additional materials are introduced into these compounds for specific purposes. For example, asbestos fibremight be introduced into an asphaltic material to produce an asbestos putty.

The upper layer of the floor covering, inasmuch as it is impregnated and coated with a bituminous or asphaltic material, makes a durable Wearing surface; however, in the preferred form the upper surface has an application of mastic consisting of a bituminous or asphaltic compound to which is added a mineral sand or dust.

This application is made at the factory; however, it may be made after the flooring has been laid, and in either case the same, in the preferred form, is subjected to pressure or a rolling action, after partial drying, which causes the sand or dust and mastic to be more or less incorporated in the surface of the felt, making a dense and tough wearresisting surface.

It will readily be apparent that numerous changes might be made apart from the preferred forms of the invention illustrated and described, and such changes as would suggest themselves to one skilled in the art will be considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A water-proof covering for the flooring and lower portion of preformed side-walls adjacent thereto of railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of side-wall and floor sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of fibrous material impregnated with bituminous material andformed into a un1 tary structure, the side portions of the individual layers along the edge of the section contiguous to an edge of an adjacent section being in a lapped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped portions of adjacent sections so as. to produce a covering having a flush surface and of uniform thickness, the side sections being curved, thereby adapting them to cover adjacent bottom and side portions of the earl I 2. A water-proof covering for the flooring and lower portion of side-walls adjacent thereto of railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of preformed side wall and floor sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said'individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of fibrous material impregnated with bituminous material and a backing layer of fabric formed into a unitary structure, the side portions of'the individual layers along at least one-edge of each section being in a lapped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped portions of adjacent sections so as to produce a covering having a flush surface and of uniform thickness, the side sections being curved, thereby adapting them to cover adjacent bottom and side portions of the car.

3. A water-proof, 'fioorin'g for railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers. of felted material impregnated with bituminous material and a backing layer of fabric formed into a unitary structure prior to laying, the side portions of the individual layers being in' a lapped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped portions of adj acnt sections so as to produce a flooring having a flush. surface and of uniform thickness. j

. 4. A water-proof flooringforrailroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of felted material and a backing layer of fabric impregnated and bonded with bituminous material into a unitary structure prior to laying, the side portions of the individual layers being in a lapped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped.

portions of adjacent sections so as to produce a flooring having aflush surface and of uniform thickness.

5. A water-proof flooring for railroad refrigerator cars and the like which-comprises a plurality of unitary sections each of said sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of felted material impregnated with bituminous material and formed into a unitary structure prior to laying, and a backing layer of coarse mesh fabric whereby the sections may be bonded permanently to the floor sub-structure with cold asphalt cement.

6. A water-proof flooring for railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of felted material impregnated with bituminous material and formed into a unitary structure prior to laying and a backing layer of coarse mesh fabric whereby the sections may be bonded permanently to the floor substructure with cold asphalt cement, the side -portions of the individual layers being in a lapped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped portions of adjacent sections so as to produce a flooring having a flush surface and of uniform thickness. 7. A water-proof flooring for railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a lurality of preformed unitary sections eac of said sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of felted material impregnated with a bituminous material and a backing layer of fabric bonded together with a bituminous binder into a unitary structure the upper layer having a coating of bituminous'material and mineral filler.

8. A water-proof covering U-shaped in section for the flooring and lower portion of side walls adjacent thereto of railroad refrigerator cars and the like which comprises a plurality of flexible side-wall and floor sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superimposed layers of felted material impregnated with water-proofing material and formed into a unitary structure prior to laying, the side portions of the in dividual layers along the edge of the section contiguous to an edge of an adjacent section being in a lapped relation so as to -interfit\ of fabric formed into a unitary with corresponding lapped portions'of adjacent sections so as to produce a covering havin a flush surface and of uniform thickness, t e side sections bein bent so that they cover adjacent bottom'an side portions of the car.

9. A water-proof flooring which comprises i a plurality of preformed sections interfitted at their contiguous edges, said individual sections comprising a plurality of superim posed layers of felted material impregnated with bituminous material and abacking layer structure, the side ortions of the individual layers being in a apped relation so as to interfit with corresponding lapped portions of adjacent sections so as to produce a flooring having a flush surface and of uniform thickness, and

a coating of bituminous material constituting a wearing surface on the outer surface of the top layer of said fibrous material;

Signed at city and county of San- Francisco and State of California this 14th day 0. December A. D., 1928;

JAMES LJALZIEL BAKER. 

